High Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction Amongs Pregnant Women in Ahmedabad City, Gujarat, India

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is the most frequent endocrine disorder in pregnant women. Maintaining a pregnant woman in a euthyroid state is a challenge for the thyroid gland during gestation. Thyroid disease in pregnancy can affect the health of the mother as well as the child before and after delivery. The deleterious effects of thyroid dysfunction can also extend beyond pregnancy. Aims and Objectives: To determine the current prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in normal pregnant women and to study the potential adverse outcomes of thyroid dysfunction on mother and fetus. Materials and Methods:The present study was conducted between January 2013 to December 2014. A total of 350 patients from antenatal clinics or maternity home of Ahmedabad city were included in the study. Apart from routine procedure, serum TSH level was estimated in all the patients enrolled in this study. In patients with deranged TSH level, Free T4 and anti-TPO antibody tests were also done. Results: Out of total 350 patients, 58 (16.57 %) had deranged thyroid function. Hypothyroidism was detected in 46 (13.54 %) patients, out of which 26 (7.43 %) patients had overt hypothyroidism and 20 (5.71 %) patients had subclinical hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism was detected in 12 (3.43 %) patients, out of which 5 (1.43 %) patients had overt hyperthyroidism and 7 (2.0 %) patients had subclinical hyperthyroidism in our study. Anti-TPO antibody was found positive in 26 (56.5 %) hypothyroid patients. Conclusion: Increased maternal age was associated with higher incidence of thyroid dysfunction. Chances of fetal distress as well as fetal loss were much greater in the pregnant women with hypothyroidism compared with those from the euthyroid group. To screen pregnant women for serum TSH concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy was cost saving compared with no screening.